Yale psychologist Paul Bloom says chatbots could ease loneliness
Technology
Yale psychologist Paul Bloom thinks AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini could actually make a difference for people feeling lonely, especially the elderly or anyone cut off from friends and family.
He talked about this on Sam Harris's podcast, saying these tools can offer some real comfort when human connection is missing.
Bloom praises chatbots, stresses human attention
Bloom called the impact of chatbots on loneliness "wonderful," even comparing it to "a cure for a terrible disease."
But he also pointed out that real relationships are special because we give each other genuine attention, something AI just can't fake.